Foreign investments in Kazakh economy reach $ 180 bln in 2013

Astana, Kazakhstan, May 22 By Daniyar Mukhtarov - Trend: A total volume of foreign direct investments drawn into the Kazakh economy in 2013 reached about $ 180 billion, Acting Director of the Foreign Trade Department of the Kazakh Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning Aliya Alimbetova said at a press conference in Astana on May 19. "Among the country's major investors are the Netherlands, Germany, the U.S., Great Britain, France, Italy, Russia, China, Canada, Switzerland, and Japan," she said. "The main trade partners of Kazakhstan are the EU countries (41 percent of a total trade turnover), Russia (17.9 percent), China (17 percent), Switzerland (4.1 percent), Ukraine (3.3 percent)," she said. "The country's trade turnover with these countries as of 2013 amounted to about $132 billion." "Kazakhstan's current foreign trade policy is being conducted as part of a government-approved trade development program for 2010-2014," she said. "The measures are being taken to improve the transport infrastructure, develop the logistics systems and transit potential of the republic to improve Kazakhstan's trade opportunities." She stressed that the effectiveness of foreign trade policy is determined by the level of the business climate development, the ability of local enterprises to become competitive and bring their products to the foreign markets, and the degree of trade liberalization. Kazakhstan ranked 50th out of 189 countries in WB rating "Doing Business-2014", rising by three positions compared to 2013. Kazakhstan also left behind most of the CIS countries. "Our country is one of the most attractive countries for foreign investments of the world's countries, according to international experts," she added. Edited by CN Follow us on Twitter @TRENDNewsAgency